The median annual wage for social workers was $45,900 in May 2015.
The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $28,530, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $76,820.

Median annual wages for social workers in May 2015 were as follows:

Social workers, all other

$58,560

Healthcare social workers

52,380

Child, family, and school social workers

42,350

Mental health and substance abuse social workers

42,170

In May 2015, the median annual wages for social workers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

Hospitals; state, local, and private

$56,650

State and local government, excluding education and hospitals

46,940

Ambulatory healthcare services

46,050

Nursing and residential care facilities

40,440

Individual and family services

38,760

Social workers generally work full time. They sometimes work evenings, weekends, and holidays to see clients or attend meetings.

Social Workers

Median annual wages, May 2015

Social workers

$45,900

Counselors, social workers, and other community and social service specialists

$42,030

Total, all occupations

$36,200

Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics